Supersetting chest and back

[Bluto]

Whats your opinion/experience on supersetting chest and back? do you feel it works great or do you feel it takes too much energy considering both musclegroups being so big (where as when it comes to triceps/biceps this is not a factor for example)

[Petrucci]

or do you feel it takes too much energy considering both musclegroups being so big (where as when it comes to triceps/biceps this is not a factor for example)

for me this happens...too much energy...if i did a really great chest workout, if i do like deadlifts first exercise for back then im dead...The weights (at least for me) would have to be a little lighter...i had a good feeling when i did it but i really prefer doing on separate days.
 There are some guys in my gym doing this (Ahnold style) and they are liking it...But they are strong as hell, so they use heavy weights on all sets...thats not my case

[natural al]

I did this for awhile.  In fact about 12 years ago I was on this kick where I started every workout no matter what BP I was doing with 3 supersets of weighted dips and pullups, I figured it would stimulate everything in my upperbody and get me primed to go.  I still think it's a cool idea but doesn't really work with what I'm doing now.  I did do it like Arnold did for awhile where I would do inclines for 3 or 4 sets and then do lat pulldowns for 3 or 4.  I never did straight supersets aside from the one I mentioned above.  I think the arnold method has some merit and would allow you to hit each BP a little harder and heavier if you were doing a volume type routine...you'd have more rest between chest movements for example.  It might work...depends how heavy and hard you're training.

[thewickedtruth]

I would think, unless you're juiced to the gills and loaded with food all the time, y ou'd still have a hard time finding the energy to hit both muscle groups hard enough to see a difference. Give them their own day and all the attention they need without dividing energy and expenditure up between the two.

[pumpster]

Not much to do with drugs, it's just a personal preference. Some like the fact that it's a little faster plus it blows up the whole area, psychologically appealing for some.

Everyone has to try it and decide whether it appeals physically and/or mentally. Myself i find it distracting to try to effectively focus on both muscles at the same time, on the other hand some great BBs used it.

[jpm101]

If you do back with chest, have that back exercise a pulling movement. Rather than a (for the most part)  full body exercise, that the dead lift can be. Example would be BB rows SS'ed with benches. Or lat pulldowns SS'ed with inclines. The original idea is to keep one exercise , per body part, when that type is training is undertaken. Of course there are many veriations of this. Usually any version is done in the higher set range and reps between 8 to 12. Keeping a moderate weight used throughout. I have included this idea in GVT (10X10) with excellent results. Try beginning with a pulling exercise than a pressing one. Rest between the SS is 90 to 120 seconds. Resting for 60 seconds, or less, becomes more of a endurance exercise rather than a muscle building one for this type of training. At times, 60's can be good when doing regular single effort movements, but not so much for SS'ing. Unless your cutting and not going for true muscle mass, at that time. Some recent studies suggest that the body will recover faster when opposite muscles are worked this way.

Have  used this SS'ing method with a pulling/pressing scheme for the upper back and shoulder area. Starting with upright rows SS'ed with the PBN. Traps and all three heads of the delts are hit strongly. Also front presses with chins. Good Luck.

[Redwingenator]

Supersetting is my preferred way to lift.  For me it is very important to get into a crazy state and just keep trying to go harder.  If you like to have a more relaxed workout and chat with people supersetting will take forever once fatigue sets in.  It is intense and it is hard to find the energy to give 100% each set, but that is part of the challenge.

[Petrucci]

If you do back with chest, have that back exercise a pulling movement. Rather than a (for the most part)  full body exercise, that the dead lift can be. Example would be BB rows SS'ed with benches. Or lat pulldowns SS'ed with inclines. The original idea is to keep one exercise , per body part, when that type is training is undertaken. Of course there are many veriations of this. Usually any version is done in the higher set range and reps between 8 to 12. Keeping a moderate weight used throughout. I have included this idea in GVT (10X10) with excellent results. Try beginning with a pulling exercise than a pressing one. Rest between the SS is 90 to 120 seconds. Resting for 60 seconds, or less, becomes more of a endurance exercise rather than a muscle building one for this type of training. At times, 60's can be good when doing regular single effort movements, but not so much for SS'ing. Unless your cutting and not going for true muscle mass, at that time. Some recent studies suggest that the body will recover faster when opposite muscles are worked this way.

Have  used this SS'ing method with a pulling/pressing scheme for the upper back and shoulder area. Starting with upright rows SS'ed with the PBN. Traps and all three heads of the delts are hit strongly. Also front presses with chins. Good Luck.

good advices !

[Bluto]

I guess there's variations to this. Either doing one exercise for chest and do all sets in a row, then moving to a back exercise and do all sets for that one, then do a chest exercise etc.
or the one set chest, one set back, one set chest variation (which in my case would make me do cardio as well since some of the stuff, like lat pulldown is on a lower floor!) 

So going back and forth back and forth between sets seems a lot of work, people might be pissed you occupy a lot of equipment etc.

But let's say I do dumbbell presses 4-5 sets then going to some kinda rowing motion would suit me better, not sure if thats as beneficial though

[pumpster]

But let's say I do dumbbell presses 4-5 sets then going to some kinda rowing motion would suit me better, not sure if thats as beneficial though

Varations like that are worth trying for a while, to find out:

1/ 4-5 sets chest, 4-5 sets lats, repeat.


2/ Conventional sets, using two related exercises:

-Rows, rest a minute, then
-Pulldowns, rest a minute, then
-Rows, rest a minute, etc.

[The Squadfather]

Not much to do with drugs, it's just a personal preference. Some like the fact that it's a little faster plus it blows up the whole area, psychologically appealing for some.

Everyone has to try it and decide whether it appeals physically and/or mentally. Myself i find it distracting to try to effectively focus on both muscles at the same time, on the other hand some great BBs used it.

exactly, hahahaha, i don't understand these clowns who make steroids sound like some magic bean that you swallow and go from benching 200 for 8 to 500 for 8 in a week, if you need drugs for energy then something is wrong with your lifestyle and steroids ain't gonna fix it.

[AVBG]

I on occassion superset chest and back when pushed for time.

I usually superset flat bench with chins, then inclines with bent over rows finish off flat flys with t-bar rows. usually 5 sets per superset. 8-12 reps.

[wes]

A geat upperbody pump but the weights should be pyramided up each set reaching a rep range of 8 on the heaviest set....not for power movements like cleans or deadlifts or stuff like that.....that`s a whole different animal.

{Bench Press-3 x 12,10,8
{Chins-3 x max

{Inclines-3 x 12,10,8
{BB Rows-3 x 12,10,8

{Flyes-3 x 12-15 (constant weight)
{Straight-Arm Pulldowns-3 x 15 (constant weight)

Finish off with DB Pullovers for a few sets which affects both pecs and lats and you`re golden!!

[Bluto]

A geat upperbody pump but the weights should be pyramided up each set reaching a rep range of 8 on the heaviest set....not for power movements like cleans or deadlifts or stuff like that.....that`s a whole different animal.

{Bench Press-3 x 12,10,8
{Chins-3 x max

{Inclines-3 x 12,10,8
{BB Rows-3 x 12,10,8

{Flyes-3 x 12-15 (constant weight)
{Straight-Arm Pulldowns-3 x 15 (constant weight)

Finish off with DB Pullovers for a few sets which affects both pecs and lats and you`re golden!!

do you do all sets of inclines and THEN moving over to bb rows or are ju switching back and forth between them?

[wes]

I`d go back and forth.......that makes it a true Super-Set.

[Redwingenator]

A geat upperbody pump but the weights should be pyramided up each set reaching a rep range of 8 on the heaviest set....not for power movements like cleans or deadlifts or stuff like that.....that`s a whole different animal.

{Bench Press-3 x 12,10,8
{Chins-3 x max

{Inclines-3 x 12,10,8
{BB Rows-3 x 12,10,8

{Flyes-3 x 12-15 (constant weight)
{Straight-Arm Pulldowns-3 x 15 (constant weight)

Finish off with DB Pullovers for a few sets which affects both pecs and lats and you`re golden!!

I completely agree.  Although I prefer to do BB Rows with Bench and Lat pull downs with incline press.  It just takes a couple weeks to find out the best mix of agonist/antagonist movements for your own strengths.

[Big N]

Whats your opinion/experience on supersetting chest and back? do you feel it works great or do you feel it takes too much energy considering both musclegroups being so big (where as when it comes to triceps/biceps this is not a factor for example)

Both muscle groups are big but if you do it with the right intensity, it's just the same workout as any other body part. I like chest with back because when you hit chest first, and finish it off with back it helps to stretch out the chest better and give it a better proportioned shape to it.

[MCWAY]

I would think, unless you're juiced to the gills and loaded with food all the time, y ou'd still have a hard time finding the energy to hit both muscle groups hard enough to see a difference. Give them their own day and all the attention they need without dividing energy and expenditure up between the two.

I beg to differ, at least with the being "juiced to the gills" part. Yes, it takes a lot of food to provide the energy to hit chest and back in the same workout, but one does NOT need to use anabolics to do so and see great results by training in such fashion.

I've trained chest and back together for years and have always had the energy to hit both effectively. Though (antagonistic) supersets are good in their own right, I prefer to train using a technique known as alternates.

The only difference between antagonistic supersets and alternates is the amount of rest you get between bodyparts. With the former, you'd do a chest exercise and then hop immediately to a back exercise (or vice versa). With alternates, you simply hit chest, rest for 1-2 minutes, and then hit back (or vice versa).

Alternates really work great for arms, too.

[The Squadfather]

I beg to differ, at least with the being "juiced to the gills" part. Yes, it takes a lot of food to provide the energy to hit chest and back in the same workout, but one does NOT need to use anabolics to do so and see great results by training in such fashion.

I've trained chest and back together for years and have always had the energy to hit both effectively. Though (antagonistic) supersets are good in their own right, I prefer to train using a technique known as alternates.

The only difference between antagonistic supersets and alternates is the amount of rest you get between bodyparts. With the former, you'd do a chest exercise and then hop immediately to a back exercise (or vice versa). With alternates, you simply hit chest, rest for 1-2 minutes, and then hit back (or vice versa).

Alternates really work great for arms, too.

exactly, it's just a few sets of weightlifting for sets of 8-10 reps, you're not doing a triathlon or 8 different strongman events on the same day, chest and back is very easily doable in the same workout, eat some oatmeal and some protein and go to it.